Anonymous Art Commission Selection Gains Ground as Governance Tool
Anonymous first-stage assessments for art commissions are being embraced by cultural institutions, councils, and businesses, allowing proposals to be judged without knowledge of the artist's identity. This approach, highlighted by the Beyond Human feature at the London Design Festival, prioritizes the quality of submissions over the artist's reputation. Identifying details such as name, age, and biography are concealed, replaced by reference numbers. Submissions need to feature a concise response, images, a sustainability strategy, and a delivery plan. Criteria are weighted according to the brief's priorities. Once an anonymous longlist is created, identities are revealed for due diligence. Organizations should allocate 8 to 20 weeks for this process and consider various support budgets. CommissionIt offers assistance for these procedures.
Key facts
- Anonymous art commission selection is being tested by cultural venues, councils, and businesses.
- London Design Festival's Beyond Human feature used anonymous selection by SustainLabRCA and Qloud.
- The process hides name, age, photograph, biography, social media handles, website, institutional affiliation, client list, and file metadata.
- Proposals should include a concise response to the brief, images or sketches, site or scale response, sustainability approach, delivery outline, and access routes.
- Weighted criteria should be set before submissions arrive and reflect the brief's priorities.
- Due diligence, including references and delivery capacity, re-enters after the anonymous longlist or shortlist.
- Organisations should allow roughly 8 to 20 weeks for brief development, outreach, anonymous review, due diligence, and contracting.
- Conflicts must be declared, and records of scores, moderation notes, and final rationale should be kept.
Entities
Institutions
- London Design Festival
- SustainLabRCA
- Qloud
- CommissionIt
- ArtistLounge
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom